Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales

Chapter 1839: Someone To Accompany Me

Zhao Ying flipped the world economics textbook in front of her absent-mindedly. Her mind was still thinking about Yang Ming. Where am I placed in Yang Ming’s heart? Especially after dinner that day, Yang Ming and I have become more subtle. In addition to Sun Jie’s relationship… Could it be that he is giving up?

Zhao Ying was unwilling to think so, but she couldn’t think of other reasons seeing the indifferent tone of Yang Ming’s text message. This was inevitable.

Furthermore, this kind of thought was difficult to eliminate once it emerged.

“Okay, we’ll end class earlier today. The Department Secretary has something to tell all of you,” The professor closed the lesson plan notebook in front of him and then said to the students present.

In many universities, the Head of Department was responsible for teaching while the Department Secretary was responsible for the students’ records and activities. Therefore, compared to the Head of Department, The Department Secretary had more opportunities to meet everyone.

This was because the instructors of each class were directly managed by the Department Secretary.

Although it was stated that the Head of Department was in charge of teaching and not the Department Secretary, the records were managed by the Department Secretary. If any bad records were written by the time of graduation, the graduate would have to carry around this taint with them throughout their work and their lifetime.

Hence, the students knew that they shouldn’t offend the Head of Department because it would affect their graduation success. Neither should the Department Secretary be offended as it would affect their university review.

Upon hearing that the Department Secretary was here, many students who were originally looking down at their books closed their textbooks and looked up.

Xue Xiaoping was the Economics Department Secretary. She was a woman in her forties who did not have a scholarly temperament, but she appeared to be open-minded and experienced. Xue Xiaoping nodded to the world economics professor and signaled that he could leave the class.

The professor also nodded and left the classroom abruptly, leaving the podium to Xue Xiaoping.

“I don’t need to introduce myself. Everyone should know about me as I spoke on stage during the first day of the postgraduate course.” Xue Xiaoping kept it simple and said, “I’m here to inform you of one thing. Next weekend is the annual spring outing of our Economics Department. After the spring outing, we are going to organize a study tour for all of you to tour large enterprises. Therefore, I hope no one is absent during this group outing. Please notify those who did not attend today using the contact network that was provided at the beginning of the course.”

Xue Xiaoping said it very casually, but everyone knew that this outing required mandatory participation. The postgraduate students’ interest in the spring outing was not as strong as that of undergraduate students. Many students who were pressed for time believed that it was better to utilize that time to study and read.

However, since the Department Secretary had said that they would organize a study tour of some enterprises after the spring outing, it was necessary to participate in it. It was likely that they would need to write a thesis on the study tour upon returning for their semester grade. Therefore, in this case, as long as they were not terribly ill to the point of being bedridden, they would certainly go.

As they knew that this time’s focus was the study tour afterward, no one asked about the location and activities of the spring outing. It didn’t matter where it was as long as they could relax.

“Oh, by the way, there is one more thing. The undergraduate students have strict requirements and they are not allowed to bring their boyfriend or girlfriend from other departments. However, all of you are postgraduate students, so there is no such restriction. You can bring your boyfriend and girlfriend along to this spring outing. Those who have children can bring them too! “Xue Xiaoping said with a smile.

Xue Xiaoping’s words caused the students who were present to roar with laughter. Although marriage was allowed in the university and the postgraduate students were allowed to have children, very few people did so.

How could they have the ability to study if they had a child? However, Xue Xiaoping’s openness was supported by many students. Amongst the roar of laughter, they cheered and applauded at the same time.

If it was just a group of postgraduate students going to the spring outing alone, many people would obviously feel that it was boring and a waste of time. However, if they could take their boyfriend or girlfriend with them, they would not feel bored anymore. In contrast, it felt like a rare and good chance to relax.

Hence, when Xue Xiaoping announced this suggestion, everyone agreed to it. Some boys who had just courted a new girlfriend were beginning to fantasize whether they could turn this spring outing into a good opportunity for some intimacy.

Xue Xiaoping didn’t expose some of the students below when seeing their expressions. She was a more open-minded person. This additional suggestion was also a last minute idea she had thought up because she had noticed that everyone was not very interested and carried a half-hearted attitude while she spoke.

After all, the purpose of organizing this department event was to let everyone relax a little apart from studying hard. She didn’t want everyone to go half-heartedly and return. This was why she made this decision at the last moment. The decision was really a wise move as the students’ enthusiasm was raised immediately.

Since they were postgraduate students already, there was no need to scrutinize them like children because they were all grown adults. Therefore, Xue Xiaoping would not be so old-fashioned.

“Well, since everyone seems to agree, I won’t say anything more. Each person can bring along two people, one adult and one child; no more than that. Those without children can only bring one person along.” Xue Xiaoping added, “The university bus will not be able to accommodate more people. An exception is given to those who have their own cars.”

“Hahaha…” The students present burst into laughter again. After all, they had not heard of anyone in this class who had children. In other words, it was stipulated that one person can only bring along another person. Of course, those who had a car were excluded from this restriction but such people were so few that it was negligible.

“Zhao Ying, let’s buy some food and groceries together for the spring outing in a few days. I have a car. We can bring a little more,” Fan Jinzhe turned to Zhao Ying and said excitedly after Xue Xiaoping finished talking.

He was just worried that there was no good opportunity to further approach Zhao Ying. It was no use if he just attended class and sat around Zhao Ying every day. They were still two separate individuals with no progress at all.

However, if he asked Zhao Ying to go out for dinner and have fun, she would definitely refuse. This made Fan Jinzhe feel a little helpless. But the Department Secretary’s suggestion of the spring outing had given him a glimpse of hope!

If he handled it well, perhaps he and Zhao Ying could go one step further. Especially the last suggestion added by Xue Xiaoping allowing them to bring their boyfriend and girlfriend along made Fan Jinzhe feel that his chances were even greater!

After all, the people around them were in pairs. He stood a better chance to accompany Zhao Ying since she was alone.

Zhao Ying frowned. When she heard Xue Xiaoping said that they could take their boyfriend or girlfriend along just now, the first thought that came to her mind was, Who should I take? Yang Ming…?

Zhao Ying smiled wryly. Since this event was an integrated event of the Economics Department, Chen Mengyan would definitely participate in it. It was apparent that Yang Ming would accompany Chen Mengyan and not Zhao Ying if he was going.

Moreover, Yang Ming had just sent a text message that he was going abroad. It was even more impossible for him to accompany her. She didn’t even have to think about it …

It seemed that she had to go alone!

However, Fan Jinzhe’s words made Zhao Ying slightly uncomfortable. Zhao Ying was very annoyed with Fan Jinzhe already. He would stick around her all the time like sticky candy. No matter what she said, he didn’t bother and smiled playfully.

“No thanks, I have someone to accompany me,” Zhao Ying replied coldly to Fan Jinzhe. She must directly stop Fan Jinzhe’s ill intentions. Otherwise, this guy would linger endlessly.

Therefore, the only way to make Fan Jinzhe give up completely was to tell him that she had a companion, and that he was not needed! Otherwise, no matter how she refused, Fan Jinzhe would definitely pester her shamelessly.

“You have a companion?” Fan Jinzhe froze for a moment, but immediately interpreted it self-righteously, “Oh, you mean Sun Jie, right? It’s okay. The three of us can go together! I am very close with Sun Jie!”

“No, it’s my boyfriend,” Zhao Ying hesitated for a second and said firmly. She felt that she needed to use drastic measures to get rid of Fan Jinzhe. Sure enough, this guy was very difficult to get rid of. He was going to follow her shamelessly after knowing that she was accompanied by someone.

So Zhao Ying decided to fabricate a so-called boyfriend to make Fan Jinzhe give up completely.

Chapter 1840: Will You Accompany Me to the Spring Outing?

“What?” Fan Jinzhe did not expect that Zhao Ying would actually say that her boyfriend would accompany her. He was stunned for a while, but he chuckled and said, “Zhao Ying, what are you joking about? Will I be unaware if you have a boyfriend? Stop talking nonsense. Hehe… ”

“We just know each other.” Zhao Ying didn’t expect Fan Jinzhe to be so shameless. He was still bothering her when she said that she had a boyfriend. What does he want?

“You guys just know each other? How is that possible? I see that you are in school all day long. How could you have a chance…?” Fan Jinzhe originally wanted to say, I am following you day and night. Who else can you contact besides me? But it was inappropriate for him to say this because it would be self-degrading. Therefore, Fan Jinzhe could only say it more tactfully.

“I got to know him through the Internet. Do you have a problem with that?” said Zhao Ying calmly.

“Internet? It’s impossible, right? Don’t fool me!” Fan Jinzhe didn’t believe Zhao Ying at all. He felt that Zhao Ying was placating him and even came up with the idea of the Internet. Isn’t it too unreliable?

Is it because Zhao Ying heard that the man and woman in the elevator just now met on the Internet, so she made up a story at the last moment about finding a boyfriend on the Internet?

Fan Jinzhe thought this was very possible. He was a very self-righteous person. Once he reached a conclusion, he took it as fact. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so frightened by Yang Ming and certain that there was a vengeful spirit attached to his body. This led to him being cheated thoroughly by the so-called masters.

“Why? Do you want me to show you our chat history?” Zhao Ying almost couldn’t control her fury. She had seen difficult people before. When she was at Song Jiang No. 4 High School, Jin Gang was hard enough to deal with already. But she had never seen anyone as troublesome as Fan Jinzhe!

“Okay!” Fan Jinzhe was sure that Zhao Ying was simply speaking nonsense, so he responded shamelessly.

Zhao Ying was suddenly speechless. This sentence was initially meant to make him back off, but she did not expect Fan Jinzhe to actually agree to her suggestion. Zhao Ying finally understood what was meant by the phrase, ‘There is nothing new under the sun’.

“Go ahead and take a look then.” Zhao Ying was also enraged, so she took the phone out of her pocket and searched for her chat with “There’s No True Love In This World”. She showed Fan Jinzhe the sentence where “There’s No True Love In This World” called her ‘wife’. “Look at it clearly. You see that?”

“This…” Fan Jinzhe saw that the “There’s No True Love In This World ” netizen really called Zhao Ying as ‘wife’, and his heart suddenly chilled with disappointment. However, he still hoped that this was merely Zhao Ying’s suitor, who deliberately called Zhao Ying like this to take advantage of her. He was not really Zhao Ying’s boyfriend. Thus, he said, “This is just what he called you, but you didn’t call him that way. How does this count?”

“Should I call him that way now to let you see?” Zhao Ying really didn’t know what else to say to Fan Jinzhe. Is there really such a shameless person in the world? They truly exist indeed…

“Okay.” Fan Jinzhe nodded.

Zhao Ying really wanted to smash her phone onto Fan Jinzhe’s forehead, but she was not so impulsive. She gritted her teeth and pushed through with it. She straight away typed in the conversation box, “Hubby, we have a spring outing next weekend and we are allowed to bring one family member along. Will you accompany me?”

Once she finished typing, Zhao Ying clicked the send button and sent it directly.

Fan Jinzhe was really dumbfounded at this moment. He knew that Zhao Ying wouldn’t say such things to strangers that she didn’t know. Since she said so, the two of them must have developed to a certain stage.

However, he was not ready to give up. He fantasized that perhaps Zhao Ying had turned her mobile phone offline? Or maybe she turned off the mobile phone’s Internet access function so that the message was not sent out?

Hmm, it’s very possible. Very possible indeed. Fan Jinzhe said to himself. Then I’ll wait and see if your netizen gives you a reply! If he doesn’t reply, this proves that your message has not been sent out at all.

When Zhao Ying saw that Fan Jinzhe was still looking back at her mobile phone without turning his head back, she asked with disgust, “Now that you saw it, why are you still looking?”

“I want to see what your boyfriend replies, just in case he is not free?” Fan Jinzhe initially wanted to say, ‘In case you were pretending to send a message?’ but he didn’t dare to say that for fear of infuriating Zhao Ying. So he modified his words. His purpose was the same anyway, to wait and see.

“Wait for it then,” Zhao Ying put her phone on the table, but she felt somewhat restless in her heart. There’s No True Love In This World will be free, right? Is he next to the computer? Will he reject me?

Will he be shocked when he sees me calling him hubby that he will ask what’s going on? If he asks what’s going on in his reply, then it will be very awkward and embarrassing! If this is seen by Fan Jinzhe, he will surely continue to pester me.

But do I really want a netizen to accompany me to the spring outing? Then… when I meet him, will we become real friends like the man and woman in the elevator?

What if he wants to develop our relationship to the next level after meeting?

Zhao Ying’s thoughts became chaotic. Although Zhao Ying had a little feeling towards There’s No True Love In This World, it was just a little feeling. She assumed that she had this little feeling as she considered him a replacement for Yang Ming, but it had not developed to the point of wanting to meet him.

She decided to send this message today solely because she was forced by Fan Jinzhe and had no other way out. Haih, Zhao Ying was a little regretful for her impulsive behavior, but she was also looking forward to the reply.

She did something that she would never dare to do normally, which was to meet the netizen! Under rational circumstances, Zhao Ying would never do this. But today she was too impulsive and a little reckless.

While Zhao Ying was letting her imagination run wild, her mobile phone on the table vibrated twice. Obviously, “There’s No True Love In This World” had replied.

After Yang Ming called his parents, he returned to the computer. He was about to check the location of the Douglas Vast Hotel in Las Vegas.

“Hubby, we have a spring outing next weekend and we are allowed to bring one family member along. Will you accompany me?”

Huh?! Yang Ming looked at the computer screen in surprise. Has my computer been attacked by a virus?

This was Yang Ming’s first thought because Zhao Ying’s words were really too shocking. She called me hubby? Yang Ming looked at the words at the end. Weekend spring outing; bring a family member?

Could it be that Zhao Ying sent it wrongly? But it can’t be. There are only two people who Zhao Ying will call as her husband. One is Yang Ming, and the other is There’s No True Love In This World.

She does not have any other close friends of the opposite sex. What does Zhao Ying actually mean? Could there be a hidden meaning? Thinking of this, Yang Ming wanted to return a message to ask Zhao Ying to ask her what was going on, but after typing a few words, Yang Ming pressed the delete key.

No, Zhao Ying definitely wouldn’t say this for no reason. Yang Ming knew that Zhao Ying was a conservative girl. How is it possible that she would just call a random person her “hubby”?

If Zhao Ying was so open and hot, then he wouldn’t have reached this situation where he was trying very hard to approach her on the Internet. He would have slept with her earlier last year on that night!

Although “There’s No True Love In This World” and Zhao Ying were quite familiar and there was a flirty vibe, it was still a long distance away from her calling him “hubby”!

If that was the case, there was only one possibility that Yang Ming could think of. Zhao Ying had to say this for some reason, and she also hoped that he could give her an affirmative answer. Otherwise, she wouldn’t elaborate the details in just one sentence!

When he was chatting with her previously, she would break it down into a few sentences. For example, “Hubby, we have a spring outing next weekend and we are allowed to bring one family member along. Will you accompany me?”

She would definitely split them up to:

“Are you free next weekend?”

“We are organizing a spring outing and we can take one person along.”

“Go with me if you’re free, okay?”

It wouldn’t be so compact. She wouldn’t use a long sentence to express her intention. The long sentence more or less seemed like a command.

However, it was also implying to Yang Ming that she needed an affirmative answer!

No matter what the reason was behind Zhao Ying sending this text message, Yang Ming decided to cooperate with her first, because Zhao Ying would definitely explain it afterward.